Practice Charter

Patient Rights and Responsibilities

You will be treated with respect and as a partner in your care. Being a partner means you have responsibilities too.

We will:

• Ensure our patients have 24-hour access to medical advice.
• Aim for you to have access to a suitably qualified medical professional within 48 hours of your initial contact during surgery hours, or in an urgent case, the same day.
• Work in partnership with you to achieve the best medical care possible.
• Involve you and listen to your opinions and views in all aspects of your medical care.
• The prevention of disease, illness and injury is a primary concern. The medical staff will advise and inform you of the steps you can take to promote good health and a healthy lifestyle.

We would respectfully ask that you:

• Are prepared to re-book your appointment if you are more than 10 minutes late, rather than cause the doctor or nurse to run late for patients who have arrived on time.
• Treat staff with courtesy and respect. Reception staff may have to ask some personal questions to assist us in providing you with the best service.
• Inform the practice staff of any alterations in your circumstances, such as change of surname, address or telephone number. Please ensure that we have your correct telephone number, even if it's ex-directory.

As patients, you are responsible for your own health and that of any dependants. It is important that you adhere to information and advice given to you by health professionals, and co-operate with the practice in endeavouring to keep you healthy.

Confidentiality

Anonymised patient information will be used at local and national levels to help the Health Board and Government plan for future services. If you do not wish anonymised information about you to be used in such a way, please let us know.

Complaints Procedure

The practice has a dedicated complaints procedure which can be accessed at anytime through reception.

Comments and Suggestions

We aim to ensure that communication is at all times clear and effective between staff and patients. We consider comments and suggestions to be an essential tool to this end and provide a box for same in the waiting room.

Zero Tolerance

The practice supports the NHS policy of zero tolerance with regard to violence or abuse to the doctors, staff or others on the practice premises or other locations where treatment may take place. Persons abusing this policy may be reported to the police and removed from the practice list.